Memorial reflects on tragic deaths
UCLA community mourns deaths, raises awareness
By Patrick Marantal
Daily Bruin Contributor
A silent procession walked to the Franklin B. Murphy Sculpture
Garden yesterday. And amid the statues, a crowd prayed, reflected
and cried over the recent bombing deaths in Israel.
But rather than simply mourn that loss, members of the Jewish
community denounced Hamas extremists for their terrorist actions,
calling for an end to the bloodshed in the Middle East and raising
campus awareness.
"Enough is enough. We have come here to say enough of the
bloodshed, enough of the violence," said Joe Levin, president of
the Jewish Student Union.
"We, as the UCLA community, refuse to support any political
group that uses violence for political gain," Levin added.
On the Jewish holiday of Purim, a suicide bomber of the Hamas, a
militant Palestinian group that has repeatedly used terrorist
tactics, detonated explosives killing 14 Israeli’s and leaving more
than 100 citizens injured.
But members of the Jewish community have turned tragedy into an
opportunity.
Before the rally in front of the Plaza Building, students passed
petitions in a White Ribbon campaign to protest against terrorist
acts.
Organizers said they hope that the petition, which members of
the undergraduate student government have signed, will show
community awareness and response to the incidences in Israel.
"We wanted to make a statement that we can come together as a
community to denounce senseless acts of violence," Levin said. "(We
are) starting a White Ribbon campaign that will continue to stop
violence."
And Muslim students have also denounced the bombings and other
violence as attempts to raise barriers in the peace process.
"Islam teaches that if any member of humanity is killed, it is
as horrific as all of humanity being killed," the Muslim Students
Association responded in a statement.
"We mourn all innocent victims of violence … We need to be
intellectually and emotionally honest so as not to build
impenetrable walls between the human family."
And many agreed that peace between Israelis and Arabs is tenuous
for the moment and that the Hamas’ actions create rifts in the
peace process.
"I am angry because militant Hamas terrorists – selfish,
ignorant, remorseless people – are dictating international policy
abroad," said Carolyn Yashari, a UCLA law student and a speaker at
the protest. "But just as infuriating, these terrorists are
dictating our own personal politics."
"For the first time, I am seriously questioning my views on
peace and what it is worth," Yashari added.
But despite the bombing’s demoralizing affect on people, other
speakers stressed that the Hamas’ tactics should not sway attempts
to achieve peace.
"The terrorists want to kill the possibility of peace. We can’t
allow them to be victors in this war," said Rabbi Chaim
Seidler-Feller, the director of Hillel. "Peace is the greatest
defeat of terrorism. And so, with it all, the anger and depression,
we can’t allow ourselves to give up."
While many in the Jewish community believed that peace can be
achieved, others said they cannot fathom coexistence between the
two groups.
In addition, they claimed that continued peace attempts by the
Israeli government caused the bombing deaths.
"(The) problem is not Arabs but Jewish traitors like Rabin and
Perez," said Ari Strauss, a third-year electrical engineering
student and a member of the Jewish Idea at UCLA, a group of Jewish
student activists. "In Jerusalem, a Jewish traitor deserves the
death penalty and we see (that) people who support the so-called
peace process are responsible for the murdering."
But members of the the Jewish Student Union claimed that peace
is possible and that extremist groups are the ones responsible for
the breakdown of peace.
"Both militant Jews like Baruch Goldstein and the violent fringe
of Hamas are threatening the already fragile peace process," said
Morgan Muchnick, the Jewish Student Union external vice
president.
Regardless of the different factions and ideologies, supporters
of the peace process believed that the tragic bombings can be used
as a starting point for reconciliation.
"I would like to pray for the people of Israel that they have
the strength to maintain the most important thing that God gave us,
our humanity," said Peter Sellers, a visiting professor in the
world arts and culture department. "And to not extend pain, but to
use this pain as an opportunity to move forward in healing."
SUSIE CHU/Daily Bruin
Jack Gerson, a chemistry/biochemistry grad student, and his son
Eitan, age 5, attended the rally to mourn the Isreali bombing
victims.
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